Trump Urges Erdogan to Halt Russian Oil Purchases Amid Discussions on F-35 Fighter Jet Deal

Trump described Erdogan as "very respected" by both Putin and Zelensky

US President Donald Trump has called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to cease purchasing Russian oil amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict during their White House meeting on Thursday.

This marks Erdogan's first visit to the White House since 2019, during Trump's initial presidential term. During their discussions, Trump emphasized Erdogan's potential influence in ending the Moscow invasion through his connections with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump expressed willingness to discuss Turkey's interest in acquiring advanced F-35 fighter jets and indicated readiness to lift sanctions imposed on Turkey following its purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems.

The NATO ally was previously removed from the prestigious US fighter jet program during Trump's first administration after controversially acquiring Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

"I'd like to have him stop buying any oil from Russia while Russia continues this rampage," Trump stated while addressing reporters alongside Erdogan in the Oval Office.

Trump highlighted Erdogan's respected status with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting he "could have a big influence if he wanted to. Right now he's being very neutral."

"The best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia," Trump added firmly.

When questioned about the timeline for potentially ending US sanctions on Turkey's defense sector, Trump responded: "If we have a good meeting, almost immediately."

The original sanctions were implemented due to concerns that Turkey's acquisition of the Russian anti-aircraft system would potentially expose NATO's capabilities to a major adversary.

Trump, wearing a gold fighter jet badge on his suit lapel, confirmed discussions about resolving Turkey's longstanding request to purchase more American aircraft.

"He wants the F-35 and he's wanted that, and we're talking about that very seriously," Trump remarked, adding that Turkey also sought to purchase additional F-16 jets with a decision expected "by the end of the day."

Known for his admiration of strong foreign leaders, Trump has consistently shown fondness for Erdogan despite Turkey's crackdown on opposition groups.

The warm reception comes despite Erdogan's positions on Gaza and Syria conflicting with key US ally Israel.

"This is a guy who's highly opinionated. Usually, I don't like opinionated people, but I always like this one, but he's a tough one," Trump told reporters.

Trump added about his Turkish counterpart, "He knows about rigged elections better than anybody," after commenting that their friendship persisted even during his time out of office due to what he termed a "rigged election."